Context

Science past and present

  1. Neuroscience

    There’s a long way to go in understanding the brain

    Neuroscientists offer multiple “perspectives” on how to plug gaps in current knowledge of the brain’s inner workings.

    By Tom Siegfried
  2. Science & Society

    Top 10 discoveries about waves

    Another gravitational wave detection reaffirms the importance of waves for a vast spectrum of physical processes and technologies.

    By Tom Siegfried
  3. Science & Society

    The first Cassini to explore Saturn was a person

    Cassini, the spacecraft about to dive into Saturn, was named for the astronomical pioneer who first perceived the gap between the planet’s famous rings.

    By Tom Siegfried
  4. Science & Society

    Top 10 science anniversaries of 2017

    2017 offers an abundance of scientific anniversaries to celebrate, from pulsars and pulsar planets to Einstein’s laser, Einstein’s cosmos and the laws of robotics.

    By Tom Siegfried
  5. Science & Society

    Einstein’s latest anniversary marks the birth of modern cosmology

    A century ago, Einstein gave birth to modern cosmology by using his general theory of relativity to describe the universe.

    By Tom Siegfried
  6. Astronomy

    In 20th century, astronomers opened their minds to gazillions of galaxies

    Telescopes in the U.S. West opened astronomers’ eyes to a vast, expanding universe containing countless galaxies.

    By Tom Siegfried
  7. Neuroscience

    Health official calls on neuroscience to fight mental illness

    When it comes to mental health, all countries are developing countries, WHO official says, appealing to neuroscience for help.

    By Tom Siegfried
  8. Quantum Physics

    Why quantum mechanics might need an overhaul

    Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg says current debates in quantum mechanics need a new approach to comprehend reality.

    By Tom Siegfried
  9. Humans

    Tom Wolfe’s denial of language evolution stumbles over his own words

    Tom Wolfe’s book denies that language evolved and attacks Darwin and Chomsky with smugness lacking substance.

    By Tom Siegfried
  10. Planetary Science

    Visits to Proxima Centauri’s planet are probably millennia away

    A trip to Proxima Centauri’s planet would take millennia, even with alpha particle propulsion.

    By Tom Siegfried
  11. Quantum Physics

    A new ‘Einstein’ equation suggests wormholes hold key to quantum gravity

    A new Einsteinian equation, ER=EPR, may be the clue physicists need to merge quantum mechanics with general relativity.

    By Tom Siegfried
  12. Math

    Courts’ use of statistics should be put on trial

    Bayesian statistics offer a useful tool for avoiding fallacies in legal reasoning.

    By Tom Siegfried